My point is that I think that sometimes we have different experiences and have different meanings to some words that are extremely offensive to some (or gestures) and others use them more innocently but are judged harshly for it.

Sandy

It must be a regional difference. I've never encountered someone "playfully" flip the bird or mean it to simply "bug off". Up here it's the atom bomb of non-verbal communication. The flipper is either running like the wind or getting a bust in the chops.

.
.Rocky; “it ain't how hard you hit; IT'S ABOUT HOW HARD YOU CAN GET HIT and KEEP moving FORWARD. HOW MUCH YOU CAN TAKE, and KEEP moving FORWARD. That's HOW winning IS done. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her,or anybody. COWARDS DO THAT and that ain't you. You're better than that!

..

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1tXhJniSEc"]YouTube - ROCKY BALBOA: IT AINÂ´T ABOUT HOW HARD YOU HIT ...[/ame]

Don't really know. I don't mind some one giving me the bird... it is free food. I usually get to flip the bird because my wife is always running around and if I don't do it, it is usually black on one side because I like it cooked in a little bit of olive oil so it is real brown on the sides and crunchy. I live in a place where nobody has guns but the bad guys so I usually get the bird already shot so I haven't got to shoot the bird since my pheasant hunting days in Indiana.

I posed this question in a thread but wanted the whole forums opinion. I really AM serious about the meaning and is there "proof" i.e. dictionary etc. that shows that it means any particular thing at all???

MY QUESTION RE POSTED HERE:

I'm 47 years old and I just recently was told that shooting a bird to some people means F-You. I never knew that before. I guess I'm a little more naive than I thought when it comes to some stuff or EITHER that's NOT what it stands for at all. It could just mean:

1. Bug off
2. Bump you buddy
3. Get lost
4. Get off my tail (on the road in a car of course)
5. Thanks for cutting me off on the expressway that was so nice of you!!
6. Bite me (excuse that comment but it could mean that)
7. ?????????

So who says the finger sign is the F-word??

Can anyone show me PROOF of where it came from and its REAL meaning please because I am genuinely interested to know since I know of people that have used it on occasion!!

Thanks

Sandy

Would to God that I were as naive as you and Sherryh in this regard.

In nursery school we'd sing a little song... maybe you did too... where you held up each finger one at a time and sang along:
"Where is Thumb-kin? Where is Thumb-kin?
Here I am! Here I am!
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run and hide... Run and hide!"
***
"Where is Pointer? ..."
"Where is Middle Finger?... "
"Where is Ring Finger?..."
"Where is Pinky?... "
"Where is everybody?..."

Never gave a second thought about it.

As for providing proof for the F-you meaning of the gesture, I can only offer anecdotal proof. More often than not, if I am earshot of the person offering me the gesture, it is verbally accompanied with the afore-mentioned term.

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